Ferguson Slide Permanent Restoration Project

The Ferguson Slide Permanent Restoration Project, managed by Caltrans District 6 in Fresno and Bakersfield, involves the construction of a 700-foot-long rock shed along the existing alignment of State Route 140 in Mariposa County. Located approximately 8 miles east of Briceburg and 10 miles west of Yosemite National Park on land managed by the United States Forest Service, the project aims to restore the highway in an area previously impacted by major rockslides in 2006. Major Amendment No. 3 has updated the project description to reflect significant changes in construction means and methods and the resulting impacts on protected species. The project is subject to strict environmental compliance under the California Endangered Species Act and Fish and Game Code Section 5050, as it involves the incidental take of the limestone salamander, a threatened and fully protected species. Under the authorized incidental take permit, the project will result in the permanent loss of approximately 1.06 acres of habitat, the long-term temporary loss of 0.64 acres, and short-term temporary impacts to 2.33 acres of habitat. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife issued a Notice of Determination on October 10, 2025, confirming that the project will not have a significant environmental effect within its jurisdiction, provided that specified mitigation measures are implemented.